Cigar Thoughts, Game 14: A Monday Night Miracle

***As most of you know, Cigar Thoughts is now a podcast. One of the perks of the pod is getting these articles in audio form, in addition to our sit-downs with our amazing guests— like this one with former Seattle beat reporter, current NFL writer for The Ringer, and Philly native SHEIL KAPADIA. You can listen to all the shows, including this article, right here:

—

Just when you think this team couldn’t possibly be any dumber, they go and do something like this... and totally redeem themselves. Guys, I don’t even know where to begin. The Seahawks have won lots of games in the final minutes, hell— they’d done it three times already this season. But tonight, well— tonight was special.

I try real hard not to be a prisoner of the moment but this feels like the type of win that changes trajectories.

—

There was so much uncertainty leading up to this game. The headline was whether Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, one of my favorite football players in the world, would be able to start after being so sick that he flew to the game isolated from the rest of the team. But bubbling below that storyline was an even greater unknown with regards to Seattle’s quarterbacks. For the first time I can remember as an NFL fan, we got within 10 minutes of kickoff without the starter being named but after an extensive pregame workout for Geno Smith, Pete Carroll decided to go with Drew Lock. And for the vast majority of this one, that seemed like a real bummer.

On top of that, Devon Witherspoon and Jamal Adams were ruled out with injuries, and Riq Woolen was benched shortly before kickoff in favor of Mike Jackson. Add it all up and the Seahawks defense came into this one severely shorthanded in the secondary, and the Eagles exploited it immediately.

Jalen Hurts completed all five passes on the opening possession and Philly ran it 10 times, converting all of their 3rd downs, including a three-yard Hurts keeper to cap it. 7-0 Eagles with nearly nine minutes taken off the clock, and it looked like the ‘Hawks were in for a long night of fingernail pulling.

Not much would happen over the next 20 minutes to change that torturous impression, as Philadelphia strung together another long drive, getting inside the Seattle 5 for a certain Brotherly Shove first down. But, in a stroke of luck that the Seahawks franchise has been desperate for, Jason Kelce was inexplicably called for a false start and Philadelphia had to settle for a field goal.

At that point, the Eagles had had the ball three times and twice they had kept it for 15+ plays, a blistering contrast to Seattle’s nine total offensive snaps. But you can’t keep a good dog down forever and Drew Lock is nothing if not a good dog. One of my (many) frustrations with this game was the shackling of Lock to a bike with training wheels, which is akin to putting a river otter in a goldfish bowl. And the thing is, I don’t know if I was more irritated that Lock was being handcuffed or because he had to be in the wake of Geno’s late scratch.

Still, bowling with bumpers finally paid off as Lock led Seattle’s first scoring drive— a 12-play, 67-yard possession featuring almost no plays with any risk-reward aspect to it. The one exception was a 13-yard dime to Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a 3rd & 10 but Drew’s other five passes netted a total of 11 yards. Still, the offense strung together a bunch of first downs, mostly on the constantly shifting back of Ken Walker, getting them as close as Philly’s 11 yard-line.

Now, lemme talk to y’all about how infuriating the end of the first half was. To start, Drew Lock checked down to Smith-Njigba for three yards on 3rd & 7, a maddening decision to throw short of the sticks in a big spot. Still, it appeared the Seahawks would go for it on 4th & 4. But instead of doing that, the Seahawks did the lame pretend-to-snap-the-ball BS that drives me up the freaking wall. Except this time it worked! The hard count got a defender to jump but Seattle didn’t snap the ball. You’ve gotta be kidding me.

Seattle then burned a timeout instead of A) running a play or B), taking a delay of game penalty that would turn a 99% 29-yard field goal into a 99% 34-yard field goal. Jason Myers knocked the kick through the uprights to make it 10-3 but the Seahawks were now unnecessarily down one crucial opportunity to stop the clock— a lost opportunity that was thrown into sharp relief when Seattle got a quick punt on defense with less than two minutes left.

Given one last chance to score before the break, Lock found Noah Fant for six yards. But on the next snap, Seattle’s QB short-circuited and threw the ball away from a collapsing pocket, inviting an intentional grounding flag and killing any shot at momentum. The certainty that the ‘Hawks would run a white-flag draw on the next play is surpassed only by death and taxes, and the home team headed to the locker room very lucky to be down by just seven points.

The good news is that they’d get the ball to start the third quarter and Seattle came out with a great drive to tie things up. And when I say Seattle, I really mean Ken Walker. On that possession, the Seahawks’ second-year running back caught a swing pass for eight yards then converted the first down with a run on the following play. Then, after a seven yard scamper that saw him cover about 40 yards and avoid three tackles, he embarrassed two more defenders on a screen pass, putting the ankles of the first would-be tackler in irons and then juking the second one for 15 yards up the left sideline.

Zach Charbonnet would handle the next couple runs while Walker caught his breath, and after two short completions to Fant and Jake Bobo, K-9 checked back in— and the dog’s teeth were sharp. On 3rd & 1 from Philly’s 23, Walker took a handoff going left, planted his foot into the turf so hard that the earth temporarily stopped rotating, and darted back to the right. See, Ken Walker has this crazy ability to teleport across the field and he was outside the right hashmark before the Eagles defense knew what was happening. The Seahawks O-line hit all of their seal blocks, Walker embarrassed a linebacker in the open field, and Drew (b)Lock sprinted ahead to knock the final defender out of the way as Walker sprinted in for the game-tying score. 10-10.

Philadelphia got back to business on the following possession, covering 75 yards on 12 plays and finishing it with a Shove for six that felt imminent the whole time. The drive was highlighted by a sick Devonta Smith catch on third down to extend the march but it was Philly’s reversion to a powerful run game that really drove the score. That made it 17-10 with five minutes left in the third quarter and the weight shifted back onto the Seahawks’ shoulders.

Lock finally took a deep shot on the first play of the next possession but he overshot it by a hilarious amount. Walker would get a few yards on 2nd down but Lock got sacked right after that and Michael Dickson had to kick it away. The Seahawks defense, who played their best game in two months, forced a crucial three-and-out to get the ball back with a chance to close the gap.

And that’s exactly what they did— even if it was in the most enamel-grinding fashion. Walker got things started with two carries for 20 yards. A series of short completions and a pass interference penalty from James Bradberry on a 3rd down target to DK Metcalf put the Seahawks back in scoring position and it looked for a brief moment like they might tie the game.

They eventually found themselves with 3rd & 2 from Philly’s 18 but the protection, which had been phenomenal all game, broke down and Lock threw the ball away as Jalen Carter hauled him to the turf. The officials initially ruled that Drew successfully got the pass off even though replays showed that he quite clearly didn’t. For 39 excruciating seconds, the Seahawks lined up for 4th and short but never snapped the ball. Then, with but a tick left on the play clock, Carroll called a timeout. That break in the action gave the Eagles all the time they needed to throw the challenge flag and the ensuing review showed that Lock was indeed down. Now facing 4th & 9, the Seahawks had to take a field goal to make it 17-13 and lost a crucial timeout. Just an absolute travesty of game management.

To their credit, the Eagles went for the kill shot on their next drive. After a couple of first downs, Hurts dipped his shoulders and flung the ball 50 yards to the endzone. It’s a gamble that’s been rewarded dozens of times in his young career but he rolled snake-eyes on this one, because Julian Love tracked the pass perfectly, outmaneuvering the intended receiver and snagging a massive interception.

The pick stabbed a passed-out Seahawks franchise with a giant needle full of adrenaline and they sat straight up with murderous intent in their eyes. The defenses got in the clinch after that, trading punts and giving the Seahawks one last chance to try and win the game with 1:52 left and 92 yards to go.

Thus began the Drive of Drives. The Seahawks’ longest possession of the season to date was 88 yards. They had a 7% chance of winning, and that’s assuming a starting quarterback. What happened next was a series of minor miracles that may have changed the entire direction of this franchise over the next couple of years.

It started with a remarkable diving catch from Metcalf for 18 yards, a great effort that wouldn’t even crack the top two from the burgeoning superstar on that drive. After a short completion to Fant, Metcalf one-upped himself with a lunging one-handed snag that saw him pin the ball between his hip and that of the defender for a huge first down. Two snaps later, facing 3rd & 10, Lock’s braces fell off his legs like Forrest Gump and he lobbed a prayer up the right sideline towards Metcalf in double coverage. Every year, there are a few plays where DK reminds us of his physical dominance and this was one of those moments. Metcalf launched himself above both defensive backs like Optimus Prime, spearing the pass and crashing to the turf on top of his fallen foes for 34 yards with less than a minute to go.

The next two passes were intended for Lockett but neither of them connected. That created yet another 3rd & 10 but by this time, you couldn’t tell Drew Lock nuthin’. With 36 seconds left, he dropped back and calmly lobbed a spiral so tight it could’ve bored to the center of the earth. While he did, Smith-Njigba shook Bradberry with a double move and sprinted towards Valhalla. He reached the endzone right as the pass descended and somehow caught the ass-end of the ball before sliding into the paint for the go-ahead score. 20-17 Seahawks and none of us could believe what we were seeing.

Still, Jalen Hurts had 28 seconds left and, armed with AJ Brown and Devonta Smith, he’s on the short list of scariest quarterbacks in that situation. He started the drive with a 20-yard scramble but that left him just 13 seconds to get into field goal range. On the next play, Hurts went for it all, tossing a big ball deep up the right side to well-covered Brown. Tre Brown was sticky in coverage on the play but it was Love who came screaming over like vintage Earl Thomas, skying over the intended receiver to pick the pass off and deftly tap both feet for the clinching interception. Ballgame, ballclub.

—

SMOKE RINGS

~This was Pete Carroll’s worst game since the wild card loss to Dallas in 2018. A win will whitewash just how poor the game management was but even though we’re rejoicing, we need to be honest about what happened tonight. In addition to mucking up the end of the first half, Carroll burned timeouts on all three 4th down plays Seattle had, including the one that allowed Philadelphia to successfully challenge an incompletion that became a sack. He punted or kicked three times when the odds were in favor of going for it and made his team’s climb to a victory steeper than it needed to be.

This team had exactly zero juice in the first half and they wimped out at every opportunity. They took no chances, showed no creativity, and wilted in every high-leverage situation. But the thing about Carroll is that he’s an all-time motivator and that was evident over the game’s final two quarters. Coaching is difficult to quantify, and we’re usually left with judging head coaches by raw win-loss totals. But the Pete experience is far more nuanced than that, and despite his aggravating strategic shortcomings, the man knows how to prepare his players for big moments.

Look, I’m a bald-faced Pete Carroll acolyte, but that’s not gonna keep me from calling shit as I see it. Carroll was terrible tonight and made things more difficult than they needed to be. Here’s the thing though— franchises have unique DNA, and Seattle’s is deeply spliced with Pete’s. For all of his mistakes tonight, the fact that every single one of his guys were prepared to come through when the game was in the balance can’t be ignored. I just wish he was sharper at real-time odds calculations. A win’s a win, and Pete is still my guy, but god damn bro— help a fella out!

~Drew Lock stunk for most of tonight but he was as electric as a downed power line in the final two minutes. In the first half, the Seahawks totaled 54 yards on 15 Lock dropbacks. But over the final two quarters, Drew went 12 for 19 for 144 yards and the season-saving touchdown. He was either too early or too late all game long but on the final drive, he was juuuust right.

At the end of the day, he was 22-33 for 208 yards, the game-winner, and no turnovers for his first win as a starter in almost three years. And after his iconic post-game interview, it’s impossible not to love Seattle’s own Mr Peanutbutter. This was an amazing moment— one that Lock will treasure for the rest of his life and one that Seahawks fans will cherish along with him. But after the game, Carroll was resolute that Geno Smith is the starter when healthy and frankly, that’s as it should be.

~Ken Walker damn near won this game by himself. Lock threw for 92 yards on the final possession but before that, Walker accounted for 61% of the team’s total yards. He carried the ball 19 times for 86 yards and a touchdown, adding three catches for 26 more through the air. He showcased everything that makes him one of the most talented runners in the NFL, combining power, speed, and unique shiftiness to pick up dozens of yards that simply don’t exist for most running backs. For all the heroism of Lock, Metcalf, and JSN down the stretch, Walker gets my game ball on offense.

~Ever since DK Metcalf worked through his hip and rib injuries, he’s been putting the league— and short-sighted fans who want to trade him— on notice. He was quiet for most of the night, restrained as he was by Seattle’s flaccid play-calling, but when the game was on the line, he did what he’s done nearly every other time he’s been in that situation. He had three catches for 58 of the most important yards of the season on the final possession, exhibiting the full range of talent that makes him one of the most special players on the planet. He finished with five catches for 78 yards, accounting for 23% of Seattle’s receptions and 36% of their receiving yards. He’s the man, and he continues to show us why. By the time this season is over, his first-five-season numbers will be surrounded exclusively by Hall of Famers.

~Tyler Lockett wasn’t great tonight, turning nine targets into three catches for a measly 21 yards. No matter, because Jaxon Smith-Njigba had his moment. His touchdown was his second last-minute game-winning score of the season, the first rookie to do so in 63 years. See the thing that gets overlooked too often in discussions about wide receivers is the fact that high-leverage targets are earned and the fact that Smith-Njigba is consistently earning those looks in an offense that features Metcalf and Lockett is insanely encouraging. He caught all four of his chances tonight for 48 yards and the biggest moment of his young career. Rocket ship.

~The offensive line was really good tonight. Lined up against a heralded front seven, they won more often than they lost, allowing just two sacks on 36 dropbacks and paving the way for 102 rushing yards at a 4.6 yards per carry clip.

~After the Eagles went 75 yards on 15 plays on the opening drive, and 67 yards on 16 plays two possessions later, it was looking like this would be another in a maddening string of soft performances from the Seahawks defense. But after that... well, after that, they were wonderful. They only allowed seven points on Philadelphia’s final seven possessions and none on the final four. During that stretch, they picked off two passes and relentlessly gave their offense chance after chance to win. Sure, Jalen Hurts was sick and that undoubtedly improved Seattle’s odds, but they were phenomenal over the game’s final 40 minutes regardless.

~Leonard Williams played his best game of his short Seahawks tenure, recording two tackles for loss, providing stout run defense, and knocking Hurts off his spot all night. This was the dude the Seahawks traded a 2nd and a 5th for back when they were 5-2.

~I don’t know how you can put Jamal Adams back on the field after what we saw from Julian Love tonight. I’ve been caping up for Adams for three years but it’s time to call a spade a terrible trade. But this isn’t about Jamal— this is about Seattle’s safety of the future. Love got off to a shaky start in the secondary this year, but he’s found his footing of late and that entire journey has been highlighted by remarkable special teams play. But tonight, he was Vince-McMahon-gif special. His nine tackles were surpassed only by Bobby Wagner and his two fourth quarter interceptions brought the season back from the dead. He’s young, he’s hungry, and the kid has phenomenal instincts. It’s awesome to see him come into his own.

~The Seahawks have been really good on 3rd downs lately, and tonight was no different. After going one of six early, they converted five of their final eight 3rd downs, including going a gobsmacking four of five on 3rd & 10+. The team was also refreshingly disciplined with penalties, committing just five for 35 yards. For the first time in two months, I wasn’t anticipating a flag after every good Seahawks play.

—

I’m not sure the vibes have ever been resuscitated in the Pete Carroll era the way the vibes were resuscitated tonight. We haven’t seen this team down this bad since Russell Wilson tried to play three weeks after suffering a six-week injury, and we’d just witnessed the first four-game losing streak of Carroll’s time in Seattle. And for 98% of the game, they appeared to be skidding directly into a hopes-crushing fifth straight L.

Instead, they made play after play after play down the stretch and now find themselves back at .500 with a 55% chance of making the ‘yoffs. The Seahawks have been underwhelming for much of the last seven games but I’ve repeatedly said that I believe this is a pretty good team that ran into a crazy stretch of really good opponents. But with their back against the ropes, and eating body blows, they found a reserve of greatness buried deep within themselves and punched their way to an improbable victory with the whole country watching.

Just like that, this team is 7-7 with three very winnable games standing between them and the postseason. Next up is a road game against the Tennessee Titans, followed by a home game against the Steelers and the season finale at the Cardinals. The path is clear, friends. All that’s left is for the Seahawks to walk it. And I’ll be here for every step of that final journey, continuing with this article next week. But until then— onwards, upwards, and enjoy the shit outta this one.

—

Tonight I smoked the American Double Robusto from JC Newman, a feathery soft smoke that tastes way lighter than most double robustos. A great dance partner for the award-winning Westland Garryana #8 I paired it with and to have such a gilded combo ordained with the biggest win of the year well, that’s a memory right there.

—

And if you didn’t know, we also have our own cigars now, which you can order below:

~~ORDER YOUR OFFICIAL CIGAR THOUGHTS CIGARS HERE~~—

We’ve linked up with one of the premier cigar manufacturers in the world to offer a special 13-year-aged blend of Dominican tobacco leaf to Cigar Thoughts readers for less than half of MSRP. These cigars, banded and branded by their creator, sell for $35-$40 per stick but we’re able to offer them to you for just $149 for a bundle of 10. They come with a Mylar bag and Boveda humidification pack so they’ll stay fresh whether you have a humidor or not. Just use the link!

—

We’re also on YouTube, where you can catch video clips from the podcast, entire video episodes, and the audio recordings of the articles. Go watch our latest edition featuring Sheil Kapadia. This is maybe the best way to support Cigar Thoughts, so I appreciate the few seconds it takes to like and subscribe.

—

This is the 5th year of our incredible partnership with Seattle Cigar Concierge. They have the plug on some of the most insane stogies on the market and they’re offering them to Cigar Thoughts readers for 20% off. These are extremely special sticks, and among the most enjoyable I’ve ever smoked. To get the hook-up, just email SeattleCigarConcierge@GMail.com. They are carrying over 70 cigar brands with many rare releases, including Davidoff, Opus X, and Padron. You can also hit them up on Twitter: @SeattleCigars. Just be sure to mention that you’re a Cigar Thoughts reader. Many of you have taken advantage of this incredible opportunity and for those who have always wondered what elite cigars are like, this may the best chance you’ll get to step into that world.

—

We’re also thrilled to announce an awesome new partnership with Westland Distillery in Seattle, which is my favorite local whiskey maker. Today I cracked open their Garryana #8, which was just ranked as the #3 whiskey in the entire world by Whiskey Advocate. And yeah, it’s that good.

Westland is an American Single Malt Whiskey distillery in the SoDo neighborhood of Seattle. Tasting room and bar is open to the public, serving whiskey flights, cocktails, and small bites. Bottle shop onsite, featuring distillery exclusive releases and more, located at 2931 First Avenue, a little over a mile south of Lumen Field. Needless to say, I’m stoked to be working with them and one of the reasons I love their whiskeys so much is that they’re excellent pairings with a good cigar.

—

The 2023 season of Cigar Thoughts is also proud to be sponsored by Fairhaven Floors in Bellingham, WA.